Mist
by asylem29
Summary: a bird set free from his cage...a flower bud that bloomed to its fullest...and a fan left torn to pieces...and after the mist...comes the rainbow...
1. A Lit Candle

**Mist**

By: Mio Hanabishi

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto….but about Neji…he's mine…but I really don't mind sharing (wink)

**A/N:** ah! A new story! I finally post it! Anyway, hope you like it…you might already know the pairings, because of the summary…but you never know…it could change…despite the visiting mist…

* * *

**Chapter 1: A Lit Candle**

A step…

A step back to the land of leaves

Falling….

Falling to a bottomless abyss….

An abyss of memories…

Memories of the past….

That haunts…dreams….thoughts…

That will never leave you at peace with the present…

Because you found…

The leaves of time…

…fallen…

The last cherry blossom….

…taken…

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke steps forth to the gate of his home… 

…forgotten

…forsaken

…abandoned

…

Betrayed….

His weapons concealed inside the secrets of his cloak…his head hidden from the world by his hood…his eyes blood red…speaking of victory….and death….and yet a feeling of longing and hunger overwhelmed him as he drew close to the entrance of his past….

"Halt!" a genin's voice called…"State your name and business!"

"Uchiha Sasuke. I still own property here…"

A girl jumped down from her high post and stood erect…she had white eyes…her pink hair tied into two pigtails, laid gracefully on her front, reaching her waistline…she had a clipboard in hand and a pen in the other… "Hmmm…Uchiha Sasuke…" The girl muttered as she wrote down the name…. "Please wait a moment…"

Sasuke eyed the girl…pink hair…white eyes…he was gone too long…he only knew two people with pink hair…one he knew because she was one of the Sound Five…she was already dead…the other, he doesn't know if still alive….

The girl turned away from the man before her, not knowing who he was…she talked into a walkie talkie…and the jounin at the other end approved of the Nin's entrance… "Open the gates!" She shouted at her teammate back at the post…and slowly….the tall gates parted that revealed the lively village of Konohagakure….

"Welcome back to Konoha, Uchiha-san…" The girl said as she stood aside for the stranger….

"Hn." He sets foot on the border of the village and stopped as the sun shone on his face… "Kid."

"What?"

"Who raised you?" He had his back to the girl…his bangs shielding his eyes from the rays of the sun….

"My okaa-san and otou-san. Duh." She replied sarcastic like…

"You are a Hyuuga?" Sasuke questioned with the sting of his voice evident to the girl…

"Even though you are of Konoha, _Sasuke-san_…" The girl sent daggers with her look… "Those bits of information are to remain what I should know, and what I should keep to myself…"

"Oh…Forgive me for my simplemindedness…." Sasuke walked off before the girl could react…he left the girl with wide white eyes and a mouth absentmindedly open… 

The girl was motionless as if in a trance until a voice was heard….

"Yo! Are you alright down there?" a voice spoke coming from the walkie-talkie…

"Yeah..." the pink-haired kunoichi replied as she spoke into the walkie-talkie…

"So…how was the guy?"

"The guy?"

"Yeah…" the boy, who was the kunoichi's teammate…said…

"Well I'm sure of one thing, Kirisame-kun…he was _really_ weird…"

* * *

"Sakura-sama!" a medic-nin called for his senior and ran through the halls of the Hospital… 

A woman in her thirties stopped in her tracks and faced a panting friend…she wore a red shirt and white pants…her black high heeled sandals, raising her to a higher height and her long pink hair lay gracefully untied on her back…. "Yes, Tsukio-kun?" her green eyes sparkled as she spoke…her smile not wide but comforting…

"Sakura-sama…" Tsukio started to say as he caught his breath… "The Rokudaime summons you…"

"Soo desu ka? Arigato, Tsukio-kun…" Sakura set off to the Hokage's office… "And Tsukio-kun?"

"Hai?"

"Take a break…"

"HAI!"

* * *

When Sakura arrived at the office…she was met by a friendly, smiling face of a female Hyuuga… 

"Ohayo go sai masu, Hinata-chan!" she greeted

"Ohayo to you too, Sakura-chan! How is Kiri-chan?" The white-eyed secretary asked…Hinata now had waist-long hair and her white-as-snow skin still obvious…but her cheeks a strong shade of rose…

"She's fine…she's on gate duty today…" Sakura replied approaching the table in front of Hinata… "How's your son?"

"Oh he's on one of his missions with Lee-kun…" Hinata replied her smile turning into a worried one…

"Don't worry, Hinata-chan! Lee is the master of taijutsu and Yuhi is as good as his father…." Sakura said with confidence reassuring Hinata…

"Yes, he does act like Naruto…and the both of them sure brighten up my day!"

"I wonder how Naruto's feeling though; I mean being Hokage is tough…" Sakura wondered. It was just months ago when Naruto was reinstated to the position, he, for so long desired….

"Why don't you ask him? I think the meeting with the elders was just adjourned…" Hinata said looking at the wall clock on the wall opposite her table…

"Yeah, I'll go check…Thanks Hinata-chan! I'll see you later!" Sakura said opening the door and waving to Hinata as she disappeared through it…

"Ok…see you later!" Hinata smiled as she started to shuffle through the piles of papers on her table… "Now, all I have to do now is t read these reports!" Hinata sighed as she started on the first one…

* * *

"Ohayo, Hokage-sama!" Sakura greeted… 

"Oh Sakura! And please, Naruto is enough…please, have a seat…" Naruto gave Sakura is wide toothy grin….he was wearing black a turtleneck and pants….orange vest with a blue collar….the Konoha symbol stitched right above his heart…

"Arigato..." Sakura sat down on the chair beside Naruto's table… "So…why'd you call me here?"

"Well…." Naruto put a finger on his chin and looked as if he forgot…or he was just teasing a top medic…

"Don't tell me you forgot!" Sakura said but still seated firmly on the chair…she has managed to control her actions and emotions…she changed so much with the help of her mentor, Tsunade…

(**A/N:** Oh yeah…just a note…Tsunade hasn't died yet…she's in the Hospital being commander medic…or sometimes she goes on missions…but most of the time, she hangs out in bars or gambling sites….she likes to relax…)

"No! I didn't forget! I was just kidding…but I'm really surprised you haven't pummeled me yet…." Naruto's grin was as wide as ever….he hadn't changed much….except he learned to be serious…of course, because of his beloved wife…

"I changed, Naruto…." Sakura crossed her arms on her chest and frowned…. "So, why'd you call me?"

"Ok...let's get right to business…." Naruto pulled out a folder out of the drawer of his table…..it was labeled 'Reports'…

"What's that supposed to be…?" Sakura raised an eyebrow…she wasn't someone who was hired to read reports…and Naruto better not ask her a favor of doing this favor…

"Well, your kid, she' and her team is in gate duty today right?" Naruto said opening her folder to the gate duty reports page…

"Yeah…."

"Well…It's written here…." Naruto handed Sakura the folder and pointed to a column with a name written on it… "That we have a homecoming visitor…."

Sakura read it…her eyes widened and her mouth opened in surprise…. "He's here…." Her eyes became teary…the tears starting to roll down her cheeks…

Naruto stood up from his chair and stood beside Sakura….he put a hand on her shoulder…..now Sakura was crying….silent tears…..

"Sakura…."

"he's back…."

* * *

Oh, konbanwa, otousan. Had a rough day?" a girl with pink hair greeted her father at home….the big home….the mansion….closing the shoji screen, she sat down across him from the table, on the cushion…she wore her kimono instead of her training outfit….just like her mother and aunt did while at home….actually like all the other women of the family… 

"Not much…." Her father answered plainly…he smiled at his daughter…a small smile…she and her mother were the only one who saw his rare 'smile-smile'…but right now, wasn't a time for those…maybe later when he was sure they were alone….

"You talked with the elders again?"

"Later…"

"OK…" a knock came on the screen and it opened…a woman in a sitting position was there….she had a tray beside her…it had two cups of tea and a plateful of dumplings…she held the tray and stood up, she bowed and put the tray on the table…

"Arigato." The girl said...the woman bowed and exited the room….the girl took a cup and sipped the tea…her lips parted with the cup and took in the scent of the tea…it had a tint of honey…her favorite…

"Otousan?"

"…"

"When will you teach me your technique?"

"When you're older…" he plainly said…

"You told me that when I was eight! Now I'm older! When are you going to teach me?" the daughter demanded for an answer…but she was careful not to raise her voice….everyone should be careful, when talking to her father…the head of the family…

"When you are older! Now enough of this…" her father said with his smooth voice…so comforting…but could still be annoying, in its own twisted way…

The girl shrugged and pouted….her father was stubborn in a way her mother was not…but it was stubborn all the same…and when it comes down to the two of them, they point at each other when it's time to know who she got her naughtiness, stubbornness….and her sometimes clumsiness…

"I'm going out to train…" the girl stood up from the table and walked to the screen, but before leaving, she turned around and bowed… "Sumimasen, otousan"

The father nodded and the girl left….he took his cup and drank his tea….

He put the cup down and sighed… _"It sure is easy for her to act so much like her mother…"_

* * *

Kiri walked around the village….she knew a lot of people there…her friends and classmates in the academy…the teachers…the jounins…the anbus…some chuunins…lots of blacksmiths….but there were people she didn't really know…but know her….the creepy ones were the ones she hated the most…example given, coming in… 

3

2

1

"**Kiri-chan!" **a group of boys suddenly came in sight….they were running crazy like an angry mob…they held a pole and on the pole, was a flag with the hiragana characters for 'Kiri'…they were chanting her name and they held a bouquet of flowers in their hands…

"Oh…" Kiri was suddenly surrounded by her fan club and she could barely say a word…or breathe….they were asking her to go out with him…or be if one of them could be her boyfriend…Kiri didn't like the boys…they were…_annoying_? Yes….annoying…and what they were doing right now was beyond annoying…right now, she's pissed…and the flowers they were shoving to her face, made her even more pissed…she hated flowers! She was _allergic_ to them!

Kiri inhaled…deep breathe…then she shouted… "NO! I will not go out with any of you!" then she ran away before the boys could recover from the loud…very loud…out burst…but since they _loved_ the girl so much, they didn't notice the rejection but…

"Wow! Did you see that? Kiri-chan is sooooo, fast!" they told each other, the other agreeing…

Kiri didn't stop running until she reached this dark-colored apartment…she didn't notice this place before, she only knew that it was abandoned a long time ago…but when she asks her mother or Naruto-ojiisan about it, they never give her a straight answer…

Then she noticed something different about the cold place…she felt a little warm….and it was coming from a window…and there inside the apartment, from what she could see…she sighted a shadow…and a lit candle…and then she noticed that the name plate on the door was rubbed clean…and it read…

"Uchiha"

…

* * *

**A/N: **Hoped you liked this! It's my official first fanfic…without an original character as the character, where everything revolves around her/him like she was the sun…ooooo…strong gravity pull………….nyaaaaaa…. 

And please wish me luck! I'll be having my national Achievement Test soon! And since I did this…I haven't really opened any of my books…hehe...pray for me! Please review!

And those who like other pairings for Sakura…I'm sorry if I disappointed you…but I really like the chemistry these two characters _should_ have!

I love them both!

And I love my reviewers! I really hope you like this story so far…just like 'The Sensei and the Seito'

-mio

Translation Notes:

Kiri-mist

Kirisame-misty rain shower

Yuhi-sunset

Neji-spring( The bouncy, swirly kind…not the season)

Sakura-cherry blossoms

Uchiha-paper fan


	2. Wanting another one

**A/N:** First of all, I would like to thank all of my reviewers and the support you gave me! And to my **Advisers**, I would like to thank you and give you a big hug! You told me the truth and what was wrong! Hope you like this chapter, coz I tried to put in mind what you said... (Ooopps! I gotta lessen the dots!)

* * *

**2 Wanting Another One**

Sakura walked home to the Hyuuga household. She was tired. After the 'announcement' of the Uchiha's homecoming, she went back to the hospital, and the moment she put a foot inside the building, she was bombarded with piles of paperwork and a bunch of calls for her in the emergency room.

"SAKURA-CHAN!" a voice called.

"Ino-chan" Sakura turned around and gave her bestfriend a small tired smile.

"Sakura-chan! Is that really you? Gosh! I never really got used to you being quiet!" Ino hugged her bestfriend.

Nara Ino now wore her hair in a long golden ponytail, much like when she was still twelve years old. She wore a violet shirt and white skirt. She also wore a jounin's vest. And her eyes were as blue as the sky as ever.

"It's me…I'm just a little tired that's all." Sakura embraced Ino back. She sniffed the scent of beautiful flowers on the jounin.

"You like it? Instead of selling flowers, I sell perfume, made of _flowers_. And I make a much better profit." Ino said somewhat knowing that Sakura was about to ask her about her scent.

"I like it…Say…" Sakura escaped from the embrace and put a finger on her chin.

"Ne?"

"Can I have one bottle of perfume?" Sakura asked.

"Sure."

"For _free_?"

"A discount."

"Ino-chaaaaaan" Sakura whined like a child. It was a long time since she did that.

"Fine. What scent do you want?" Ino gave in.

"I want baby's breath."

"Ok. You'll have it by tomorrow."

"Thanks Ino-chan!" Sakura smiled a wide smile…

"Sakura-chan…."

"Yeah?"

"Well…"

"Ino-chan?"

"Kirisame-kun's gonna have a baby sister!"

"OHMYGOSH! Ino-chan! Congratulations!" Sakura wrapped the woman in a tighter embrace than before…

* * *

"What are you staring at?" Sasuke was leaning on the windowpane, looking at the little staring girl below.

Kiri stood there staring back. She didn't look startled, she didn't look afraid; she didn't look guilty of getting caught. She just stood there.

"Hey! KID!"

"Hn." And Kiri walked away not caring if the man still wanted to talk to her or interrogate her. He called her kid. And that was enough for her to go. With a blank face she walked away.

* * *

"She isn't home yet." Neji told his wife. He just came from the meeting room, and after another scolding of how the clan should be run from the Elders; he was sure ready for a nice hot meal.

Sakura's face instantly turned pale. "Where could she be this time of hour?" She changed into much formal clothing, and prepared herself for supper. At first, Sakura couldn't believe that everyone in the Hyuuga house had to wear kimonos and yukatas. But she was relieved that she didn't have to wear it to work.

"How should I know?"

"Neji, please. This isn't much help."

Neji sensed the exhaustion and worry in her voice. He also sensed that the worry wasn't just for Kiri's safety. "What's wrong?"

"Huh? Nothing's wrong! Well except for the fact that my daughter's somewhere out there, this time of night!" Sakura's voice was rising, and she knew Neji didn't like loud voices, especially in the mansion.

"Sakura, relax. She's fine. She's my daughter too." Neji had pride in that sentence and a whole lot of confidence.

"Just because she's a Hyuuga, doesn't mean she couldn't get kidnapped, or raped, or ki-" Sakura was cut short. Suddenly, Neji's arm was wrapped around her waist and her chest, caging her arms and keeping her from tying her hair.

"Sakura, nothing will happen. Trust me."

Neji felt Sakura's heartbeat slow down. And he smiled. He smelled the sweet rosy scent of her hair and the pure smell of the jasmine on her body. He could also feel the nice curves his wife still had, even after giving birth to a healthy premature baby, thirteen yeas ago.

"Neji."

"Yes?" Neji let Sakura go and Sakura turned around to face him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest.

"I'll take your word for it."

"Good. Because believe me, Kiri is a good kid, she would stay away from trouble."

"You're right…"

"I sense there's more to this than just agreeing about our child."

"Nejiii…"

"?"

"I want another one."

"Sakura, we just can't wish for another child to the air and get it overnight."

"I know! That's why we should _make_ another one! Anyway, I'm willing to wait nine months!"

"Haha. Sakura for a minute there I thought you were serious."

"Who said I wasn't serious? I want another kid! And this time, I want a baby as handsome as his father!"

"Ooohh golly…this is gonna be some night."

* * *

"Thank you." Kiri said as a woman opened the big gate for her. She was glad she was finally home; it was getting darker by the second. But as she stared at the sky, she felt warm inside as she observed the twinkling stars.

"Kiri-sama, your father and mother are already preparing for dinner. They have been very worried about you, you should change and meet them in the dining room." The woman said. The woman had black silky hair and white eyes. She wore a carnation pink kimono. She wore a small smile for Kiri.

"Thanks again, Madoka-san"

"Never mind it. Just go."

"Good night!" Kiri waved and ran through the bridges and the halls, to the inside of the mansion.

When she reached her room, she took a quick shower and got dressed, not so fast. It was hard to wear a kimono, no less than putting it on. And she should watch herself, committing a mistake in front of her father was another year to wait to be taught the technique.

Meanwhile, a man knocked on the shoji screen of the head's bedroom. "KNOCK, KNOCK"

"Yes?" Neji's voiced answered.

"Kiri-sama is home. She will be ready in minutes."

"Thank you. We will be down shortly." Neji said.

"Yes, sir." Then the man left.

"Good she's home." Sakura heaved a sigh of relief. Then she looked at Neji. "Are you going to scold her?"

He was silent at first. Then he answered, "No, not tonight"

"_Wow. There's a first."_ Sakura thought. "Why not?"

There was a pause. "It wasn't like I was kept waiting was I?"

Sakura smiled. "Yeah…Neji?"

"?"

"We should get dressed."

"Ok. You first."

"No way, lover boy." Sakura kissed him on the lips. "You first, while I stay on the bed for a little longer."

"Fine." Neji developed a little red on his cheeks and stood up. He picked up his clothing and also his wife's kimono. "You know, you should also get dressed. You dress slowly. Kiri is going to be very quick about her clothing since she thinks she kept us waiting."

"Hmph." Sakura made a face and pushed the blanket off and took the kimono from Neji's hands. "Killjoy."

"Don't worry. We'll have more time later."

"KNOCK, KNOCK"

"Papa! Mama! I thought you were dressed already?" It was Kiri.

"Just wait a little more, honey!" Sakura told her.

"Told you she was fast." Neji gently spanked Sakura's butt, and Sakura jumped a few centimeters, startled.

"Hey! Your hand was cold!"

* * *

When the two finally dressed up, they went down with their daughter to the wide dining room, only for the three of them. It was a room with two doors. One led to the hall and one to the garden outside.

Kiri wore a red kimono designed with white clouds of mist, her hair tied in pigtails (much like Tsunade's), and her eyes white like her father's. Her mother wore a pink kimono stained with red cherry blossoms and her hair tied in a bun with the help of two hair sticks (is that what they were called?) and her eyes pure green. Finally. Hyuuga Neji, he wore a plain white yukata and his hair tied in a loose ponytail (imagine when he was still twelve), and his eyes, of course, white.

The three of them sat down on the futon and a woman brought in hot food for them…

(**A/N:** Ok, before the end of this chapter, I admit that I've never been someone who was industrious. I am lazy. Can I just end it here? I mean this part about laying the food. It's a long task. I have another story I need to update. Please don't flame me. But some advice would be nice.)

From where Kiri was sitting, she could see the cherry tree and the fireflies surrounding it. The flowers were blooming, one flower perched itself on a lily and stayed there, while the others were flying around. "Strange."

"What's strange, honey?" Sakura popped a chopstick full of rice in to her mouth and chewed. (With her mouth closed of course)

"Huh?"

"You said, 'strange'. What's strange?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Did you meet someone strange today?" Neji suddenly asked.

Kiri and Sakura's eyes widened. Sakura stopped in mid-chew. Kiri just remembered the weird man from before. Sakura knew the weird man her daughter was thinking about.

"How did you know? I wasn't even thinking of him."

"Lucky guess." Neji smirked, putting a piece of tonkatsu inside his mouth.

(A/N: tonkatsu is a Japanese dish made of pork, fried differently from how the westerners fry their pork. I think)

"You never guess." Kiri said putting on the same smirk as her father.

"Just tell us the name."

"He was a strange one indeed, papa. He wore black all over. He had black hair and black steely eyes. He's black everything. And I think he knew I was a Hyuuga, because of my eyes."

Sakura chewed slowly. Neji noticed her silence. He was also familiar to the description that his daughter gave him. But he couldn't really be sure. Having black everything is not a bloodline limit. But having white or red eyes is.

"And what was his name?"

"As I remember it…" Kiri put a finger on her chin. She was trying to remember. "It's on the tip of my tongue!"

"Forget about it, ho-" Sakura was about to tell her daughter, when…

"Sasuke! Uchiha Sasuke!" Kiri blurted out.

Sakura paled. And Neji noticed it.

* * *

Sasuke was having his dinner for the first time since he was back in Konoha. He found an extra light bulb in the closet and screwed it in the kitchen. And there he ate the dinner he just bought from a nearby ramen stand. He went there expecting a blond haired ninja and was surprised he found none…

When he finally received his order, he turned around to leave, but he fund standing before him was a couple, arms linked, both staring… _"Everybody seems to be staring at me lately..."_

"Sasuke?" Naruto muttered…

Sasuke in reply, just nodded. He looked at the red Hinata beside the orange clad ninja. She grew even redder when her eyes met with the Uchiha's. "Naruto can we talk?"

"Sasuke, you're lucky that I kept every ANBU, and Jounin, and Genin off your case for this single day. I already gave you a chance to talk to me…but you only came to me tonight, but as you could see, I'm with my wife tonight…" Naruto reasoned.

"You're Rokudaime now?" Sasuke had a tint of surprise in his voice…he didn't really expect Naruto to be a Hokage.

"It has been months since I was _assigned_." Naruto flashed his famous fox-like grin to the 'has-been-missing nin'

"Good. Since you are with your wife, I'm gonna ask her permission." Sasuke said. Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Hinata-san, could Naruto come out with me to play?" he said with a mocking voice.

Hinata blushed at the way he said those words… "Sasuke!" Naruto told off his friend-slash-rival

"Naruto, _please_ I need another chance!"

"Sasuke, your wanting of another chance surprises me…and makes me wonder why you want it so badly…Why?"

"I just need to get something I left years ago…"

"Well since everyone here is in to 'wanting another one'…I'll give you three years."

"Three years?" Sasuke couldn't express his surprise, and confusion. It was either he didn't want to show his emotions, or his face just forgot how to.

"Only Three years for you to clear your name. In those three years…you get another chance…not just for Konoha, Sasuke…" Naruto looked grim all of a sudden. He didn't like it that he thought of this decision himself, without the elders' opinion, without Tsunade's advice. He was gonna get pummeled. "Also for you to ask for Sakura's forgiveness."

"Naruto, I'm really not planning on taking that alone…"

"That's the case, Sasuke. You can't have her trust anymore…"

"…"

"And you can't have her."

"Why!"

"Her hand in marriage, already wears a ring."

* * *

**A/N:** I really was planning to delete this story…but since my friends kept on saying things like, it was a waste, or what a shame, or don't give up, or it's your choice… nyuur…

So I really hope you like this…sorry I'm getting a little crazy with the dots again, but my hand itches.

Tell me what else is wrong…and to my readers in The Sensei and the Seito: real deal, thanks for everything.

Oh yeah! Uchiha, when written in Hiragana, the character 'ha' can also be read as 'wa'…and Masashi Kishimoto decided that the Uchiha's symbol is a non-folding fan…since uchiwa means fan, he decided it would be best, the 'wa' and the 'ha' in hiragana are considered almost the same anyways…

Just clearing things out! Thanks for pointing that out to me, dear adviser!

-michi


	3. Of Hair, Conditions, & Festivals

**Michi29 Mail: **I would like to thank my reviewers for the reviews and **Blonde Hurricane** for the 'hair stick-chopstick' issue. Anyway, sorry if I updated only now, I guess I was busy with other stories. (Please refer to my profile for other stories, thank you). And I quite enjoyed making those oneshot especially the ones my friends requested for me to do. (One of them made me type my dream, and one story I did for one of my friends leaving for TEXAS) And if anyone here likes Draco/Hermione Pairing, please R&R in my story! Thanks!

**The horrible truth: **I do not own Naruto…can I own Neji? (Police points 25 caliber guns at me) Hey, hey, hey! It was just a question!

**Post Script:** This chapter is a kind of flashback thing. Thanks to **.Homicidal.Psychotic.Insane.Anime.Lover.** for that idea! I kinda got mind blocked after I finished the second chapter.

On with the chapter!

* * *

_Nineteen year old, Neji walked through Konoha with a glare on his face and a pout on his lips. He struggled to keep calm and keep his focus. He was happy sure, but that uncle of his just had to kid around, or not? Neji was unsure with the look on Hiashi's face as he said those words. _

"**Neji, come." Hiashi motioned for his nephew to follow him.**

"**Hai." Neji stood up from the tatami mat and left his peaceful state to listen to what his uncle had to say.**

**Neji walked behind his uncle until they stopped in front of the doors of the Meeting room. Hiashi opened the doors and went inside. He took a seat in the mat in front of any other mat that was there. **

"**Neji, please take a seat." **

**Neji did as he was told and sat down on the tatami mat facing Hiashi. "What is this all about?"**

"**We will have to wait."**

"**Huh?" Neji was confused… "Why-"**

"**The Hokage called for this meeting, not me." Hiashi said with slight annoyance.**

**a knock came on the shoji screens separating the outside form the inside. **

"**Hiashi-dono! Hokage-sama has arrived!" A voice announced.**

"**Hai. Please let him in." Hiashi stood up and so did Neji.**

**The shoji screen made a 'shushing' sound when it was opened. It revealed a boy bowed down before the guest and the clan leader. A figure was a there beside the boy. The figure wore the Hokage white hat with the red kanji character for 'fire'.**

"**Welcome, Hokage.-sama" Hiashi bowed. Neji followed suit. **

**The Hokage took off his hat and gave the pair a goofy smile. "Aw. We don't have to be this formal, Hyuuga-san. I'm really quite younger than you."**

"**We do it for the sake of respecting the new leader of Konoha." Neji said. **

"**Not you to, Neji!" The goofy smile disappeared and came a look of worry and distress. _Uzumaki Naruto_, the newly appointed leader of Konoha felt really old this time. He did not heed for any more respect, he would rather be respected as a friend or acquaintance than someone who was higher in rank.**

"**It should be expected, Naruto. You wanted that rank, now suffer with the feeling of age…" Neji smirked and remembered the Uzumaki Naruto that he knew so well. The Naruto he fought in the chuunin finals, the Naruto that was with him in the mission where they went to rescue the traitor, the Naruto that has been secretly courting his cousin, Hinata for about three months now. **

"**You are so despicable, Neji." Naruto smirked back.**

"**Ehem."**

**Hiashi caught the attention of the Hokage and his nephew. "Maybe we should sit down."**

"**Yeah…good idea" Naruto was awkward towards Hinata's father. And he couldn't exactly keep eye contact for anymore than five seconds. This was the person that put that seal on Neji's forehead. This was person that could beat even Neji in battle. This was person who controlled whole of Hyuuga, and that was what Naruto was here for.**

**He was going to keep his promise to Neji.**

**The three sat down. The silence was deafening, if it wasn't for the soft sound of a bell from outside the screen, Naruto would have gone crazy with the stillness. HE wasn't quite used to the peace, you know.**

"**So, I'm gonna cut to the point." Naruto cleared his throat. "Neji, you remember our fight in the chuunin exams?"**

"**Yeah, why?" Neji cocked a brow. Where is Naruto getting at?**

"**Remember what I promised?"**

"**Promised?" Hiashi felt like he was out of the loop. "Excuse me, but I got lost at the 'chuunin exams' part."**

"**You promised that you would change the Hyuuga clan once you become Hokage." Neji said calmly hands resting on his lap.**

"**Hokage-sama?"**

"**You heard right, Hyuuga-san. It is true that I promised him that." Naruto smiled. But he grew serious right after. "And that is what I am here for."**

"**What are you talking about?" Hiashi was confused. But he has an idea of what the Hokage meant by 'changing' Hyuuga.**

"**I would like it if there would be no borders between the clan Hyuuga-san." Naruto said. "What I would really like to change is the part about Hyuuga having Main and Branch families."**

**Neji just sat there quiet while Hiashi was staring Naruto in the eyes making sure he wasn't kidding. Neji was surprised that naruto kept his promise. But like what Naruto always says, 'it is his way of being a ninja.'**

**Neji didn't have eye contact with anyone, especially with his uncle. He was afraid of what Hiashi would do to him, or worse, Naruto. He can be deadly when he was mad. Is he mad?**

"**Yes. I have been considering that myself." **

**Neji's head shot up in surprise. Did his uncle just say that? Or maybe someone is posing as his uncle? Is this really Hiashi or is this an impostor. **

"**But before I do 'change' Hyuuga, there would be some conditions to discuss…" Hiashi smirked.**

**Neji sighed. _"It's Hiashi."_**

"**Please continue." Naruto smirked as well. **

**Now Neji was at a loss. He got lost at the 'conditions to discuss' part.**

"**I have been planning to change the Hyuuga since my daughters both went into, shall we call it, 'rebellion'." Hiashi coughed "And I have thought about it and I came to the conclusion that my nephew should follow me as the leader of Hyuuga"**

**Neji could not believe his ears. For once in his life, he has witnessed the greatest miracle there had been since the chuunin exams where Naruto changed his opinion about destiny. If he could he would have cried right there. But if he did, Hiashi might change his mind about that 'leader of Hyuuga' thing.**

"**Heh. He is quite a Hyuuga. But please, let's get to the 'condition' part. I'm excited!" Naruto chuckled.**

**Neji sighed and had an urge to smack the grin off the Hokage's face. He thanked his self control for that.**

"**Yes. We will get to that. But I would like to request my nephew to leave the room so that we could discuss this more thoroughly." Hiashi smirked inwardly. He liked the idea of 'mentally torturing' the Hyuuga prodigy.**

**Neji had his mouth hanging. "What! You're gonna talk about me and my future, and I'm not even allowed to hear it?"**

"**You should learn how to be patient, ne, Neji?" Naruto gave the frustrated Hyuuga his goofy grin.**

**Neji glared. "Fine. I'm leaving." He scowled.**

**Neji stood up, all the while that Naruto and Hiashi were silent. He opened the shoji screen and shrugged. He stopped for a moment, and when his mind got calm again, he stepped out and closed the shoji screen. **

"**Now, about your daughter-"**

**Neji heard what naruto said and he could just imagine Hiashi's expression and hole-burning glare. "'Conditions'! Bah, Humbug!"**

**Neji was meditating in his room. There were incense everywhere and the scent of lavenders filled the air. Lavenders were Neji's favorite because it helped lessen the stress he had in the end of the day. This was a special occasion though, because it's only the afternoon. An occasion caused by his uncle and the Hokage.**

"**KNOCK" "KNOCK"**

"**I will still hear you even if you don't open the door." Neji said, frustrated because he just found his center and here was a knock sent from hell.**

"**Neji, it is me."**

**Neji sighed and stood up. He was about to open the door when he remembered that he wasn't wearing a shirt. He couldn't face hiss uncle like that. He took a fresh white one from his closet and wore it over his head and then he pulled it down just right. **

**He opened the door and faced the serious look of his uncle. "Neji, come."**

**Hiashi walked on and that left Neji to follow him. He locked his door and walked behind his uncle. He wondered about what his uncle want to talk about now. **

**Hiashi lead Neji through the walls of the mansion until they arrived to the door of Hiashi's room. Hiashi walked over to the shoji screen and opened it leading the two to the garden. Hiashi sat down and breathed in the beautiful scent of peace.**

"**Sit down, Neji." Hiashi said**

**Neji did as he was 'ordered' to do. **

"**Neji, the Hokage and I talked about your condition…" Hiashi began.**

"**_Yeah right! You talked about Hinata!"_ Neji thought.**

"**And we agreed that for you to be the next leader of Hyuuga is that…"**

**Neji looked at his uncle when his uncle stopped talking. He found that Hiashi's face was serious but his eye had a rare twinkle. Neji knew what those eyes spoke of. Mischief…mischief _and_ torture.**

"**You will have to marry before you lead the Hyuuga."

* * *

**

**(At this point, the thoughts will not be italicized)**

"_Hey! Hyuuga-san! Why are you beating the hell out of that tree?" Haruno Sakura the pink-haired medic from the hospital asked the Hyuuga prodigy, who was in fact beating the hell out of the tree where ninjas trained most of the time but failed to destroy…until now._

_Neji ignored the disturbance, or rather, he didn't hear the girl because he was soooo absorbed with his problem and his thoughts and his life and beating the hell out of the tree, until a hand held his arm and preventing him from completely double-killing the dead tree._

"_I said, why are you killing the already dead tree?" The pink-haired medic formed a glare with her green eyes. _

"_It's none of your injury-healing business." Neji said with a matter-of-fact tone._

"_It is my business! If one of my patients is having stress, then I must do something to remove that as a medic to make the balance of chakra, well, be balanced." Sakura said with the same tone that Neji used._

"_You know, I shouldn't even be talking to you." Neji turned around to leave._

"_Oh c'mon! The only time I get to talk to you is when I'm asking you where you got injured or something!" Sakura followed him. "And the only time I'm out of the hospital is when I'm having my break, which is also right now! Why can't I talk to you as a person?"_

"Just because you healed me twice in missions doesn't mean we're friends."_ Neji thought. "Hn."_

"_You know, all of the stupid boys I know, say that!" Sakura stopped walking and stomped her foot. She scowled then she walked away. _

"_Then why don't you spend some time with someone who says much more!" Neji just kept walking and was relieved when the pink-haired medic was finally out of sight._

_Neji glared at anything that was in his way as he walked through Konoha. Thoughts flying by his mind in every step._

"Why don't I just marry anyone for the sake of being leader?"

"**And remember, I must approve of the one you are going to marry!"**

_Hiashi's voice echoed in Neji's head and if it wasn't for his self control again, he would have kicked the cat walking in front of him._

"The woman must have a beautiful face so that every morning I wake up I wouldn't have to start it with her horrifying face." _Neji thought_. "And she must at least be strong so that she wouldn't have to be a burden during times of danger. But not too strong that she could even beat the hell out of me."

"Tenten….no. She's already dating Lee. I think."

"The girl with Shikamaru….no. she's **married** to Shikamaru."

"I don't have the heart to marry anyone in my clan, and added to that, all of them are dating! What am I saying! I don't have a heart!"

"How about that girl with the blond hair…?" _Neji stopped suddenly when he saw a girl deep in thought as she flipped through the leaves of her book. The only part of her that could be seen was her blond long hair and her body clothed in a fit black shirt and baggy brown pants._

"_Kaede-kun!" a girl pushed past Neji, which surprised the prodigy, mainly because a girl pushed past him! _

_He was about to yell when the supposed girl, closed her book and revealed a very beautiful face….for a guy! The girl that pushed past him approached the boy who held the book and actually kissed him out in public!_

_Neji slapped himself in his mind for even thinking that the guy was a gal! And with a girlfriend too!_

"_Are you ready for tomorrow's festival?" the boy asked._

"_Yeah! I got my yukata ready for you and only you!" The girl squealed grasping her boyfriend's arm._

"Festival?" Neji _thought. Why didn't he get a memo of such a festival! Oh yeah….he didn't care before. _

"_Look, honey! Another guy with long hair!" The girl said._

_Neji cocked a brow_. " Ooookkkkaaayyy….getting weirder by the second.."

_The guy looked straight ahead at Neji. He raised his free arm and made a 'rock on' sign with his fingers. "Power of the Hair!" he said._

"_Yeah. Whatever." Neji replied._

_The lovers smiled and left. Neji glared at their backs hoping they would melt. Why couldn't he do it? His uncle could! _"They didn't even know me. And where the heck did the Power of the Hair come from! Medusa! The girl who had extremely long hair that a guy could climb up a tower with it, whoever she is!"

"_Oh well…I couldn't even find a date for tomorrow…how will I find a wife!"

* * *

_

_Haruno Sakura was now one of the most wanted medic-nins in the village. Not just because she has unbelievable medical skills taught to her by the Godaime herself but also because she was one of the most beautiful medics there were. Guys who were injured would always request for 'Haruno-sama' even guys who weren't even injured or sick, but only pretending!_

_Ever since Uchiha Sasuke disappeared, Sakura concentrated on developing her skills as a medic. For the people of Konoha who cared for Sakura, it was better if Sasuke did disappear. No more 'We Love Sasuke Fan Club' running around and Sakura became even better with her life as a ninja and a person._

_But no one can deny that whenever she smiled, the smile felt like it wasn't even real. And when they looked into her eyes, the sparkle was gone and the sadness replaced it. _

_Everybody knew that Sakura was lonely…especially the men of the village. And now, the Fan Club that is running around now is worshipping the most popular, the most single woman in Konoha. 'The WE LOVE SAKURA FAN CLUB.'_

"_Sakura, do you have a date for tomorrow?" Sakura's ex-rival, and bestfriend asked our beloved medic. She was preparing dinner for her husband, along with Sakura who could make exquisite meals as well._

"_Actually, Ino-chan, I'm not planning on going." Sakura replied looking at the beautiful yukata Ino was going to wear with her new husband. She was at the Nara residence where the husband was too lazy to get up._

"_What! Sakura, you're eighteen, yes, still full of opportunities in marriage, but you're still not getting any younger, and anyone of those in your fanclub are not as near as decent as Naruto to be your husband!" Ino said with much worry._

"_Ino-chan, didn't you think that a woman's life could be fulfilled even without a man beside her every night that she goes to sleep."_

"_Sakura. I'm married and you still have the heart to ask that to me?" Ino raised an eyebrow saying that a question like that was not worth asking when the answer is so obvious that's in front of you. "But, yeah. I did once."_

"_When?"_

"_A second before I said 'I do'." The two laughed heartily. It was long time ever since Sakura laughed like that and Ino was very happy she was the one to make Sakura laugh._

"_Ino-chan…" Sakura stopped laughing. "Even if I wanted a date…who am I suppose to take?"_

"_Neji." Ino said with no presence of hesitance._

"_Ino-chan! Thank you for taking a minute to hesitate!" Sakura scolded. _

"_Well!" Ino laid her hands on her hips. "You can think of anyone else who's worthy to date a student of Tsunade-sama and a master in whatever that gambler taught you, a beautiful woman, and single!"_

"_Well…"_

"_Exactly!"_

"_It isn't exactly my decision…"_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_What if he says no?" Sakura blushed a great deal of red._

_Ino squealed her heart out and gave Sakura a circulation-cutting, spine-breaking embrace! "You do like him!"_

"but I think our relationship doesn't even come close to friends."

tbc

* * *

**Michi29 Mail:** I really hope you liked it…but I think it's a little short, don't you think? But don't worry; notice the 'tbc'…

"TO BE CONTINUED"

thanks everyone!

Please Review!

-**Michi29**

**Post Script:** Oh, and I would like to say hi to my friend who pushed me and inspired me to update when i got lazy, she's akai lady cute luck. And i would like to say hi to Elizabeth Pangalangan...i hope i spelled it right. She added me in her yahoo messenger list and i hope she and i would get to know each other better...thanks for hanging on!


	4. Sticky Like Glue

**Michi29 Mail:** Thanks for all the reviews and to thank all of you, I updated ASAP… I dedicate this chapter to all of you, my friends, ALG (Anime Lovers Guild) and BreakThrough (and yes, it's spelled that way)

The song that's in here is a project of ours. I wrote the lyrics and my friend who is a pianist, composed the melody. And the whole gang sang the song and we had it recorded on the last day of school…

**The horrible truth:** I do not own Naruto…yes, and Neji… (Cries)… (Police officers smile…) And what are you smiling about, nitwits! (Police cowers in fear) That's much better… But I'm proud to say, the song is all ours!

**Post Script:** Thanks everyone! And to those who added me in friendster! If anyone would like to add me in friendster or hi5 or in yahoo messenger feel free to visit my profile and you will find my email…

If anyone wants to contact me in msn, my email is feel free to private message me!

On with the chapter!

* * *

_Neji sighed as he got in the relaxing hot spring found deep in the forest. It wasn't something public; it wasn't something that anyone from Konoha knew. It was Neji's own discovery to relaxation. It was his therapy after assassination missions. It was his way to escape his Uncle._

_The place was filled with mist and he could barely see anything. But sight wasn't a problem for the Hyuuga. He had his instincts (that didn't stink), and he could see people with their chakra…and no one was good enough to hide their chakra from Neji._

_There were trees everywhere and Neji fell into a state of heaven with nature all around him. When he stared up to the blue sky, he realized that his head really felt light without his forehead protector hiding his curse._

_He let off another sigh…even if it was his time of relaxation, he still thought about his _'problem'…

_It wasn't like there was a time-limit or something but his uncle did say_ **"Immediately"**

_He thought of all the women he knew and even considered the women older than him. But he found that his uncle might not approve of them because of their statuses. It wasn't a good enough excuse if he said he loved them…and he couldn't say that he had a woman pregnant…his uncle knew that he would like to keep his dignity and honor (And something that starts with a 'v') until after marriage…_

_But, he didn't even consider a certain medic…it was if he 'forgot'…it 'slipped' his mind…or some stupid excuse he told me when we discussed the stupid script and told me that we had to postpone the 'cupid's mission' because he wants readers to feel the suspense when I really think is the reason is that he was afraid of being poked in the butt with one of my arrows! _

Uh…

Forget I typed that…hehe

And I am not cupid!

Seriously… I. Am. NOT.

Seriously….

_ANYWAY!_

_He thought over all the girls he knew…he swept a hand right on his oh, so gorgeous hair…so gorgeous that it was so shiny and it had no tangles and- and so long! If he let's me I'd get him inside a cage and I would 'accidentally' close the door and 'accidentally' lose the key-_

"_Ehem…"_

yeah?

"_Can we get through with this?"_

sure…whatever…you just don't want me to tell you about yourself ,ne?

"_Just keep talking…and you become my new training dummy…"_

…

"_Well? Get on with the story!"_

I didn't want to be a training dummy! And F.Y.I. Michi29 no dummy!

"_Keep typing…"_

Right, right…

_Anyway, Neji was about to fall asleep, when he heard a beautiful voice…it was singing a familiar melody…he felt soft ripples bumping into him…the owner of the voice must have got in the spring…_

_Neji thought he was dreaming because he felt light-headed and a voice was gentle in singing…he felt surprisingly at peace…the mist prevented him from seeing anything…it was like the 7th floor of heaven_…

**I hear a distant song…**

**Silent notes escape…**

**Ringing through the darkness of the night**

**Never to be seen being played by the scarlet piano**

**The rhythm dripping like tears**

**Scarlet tears shed by the ruby keys **

**Every note tells a story of that night before**

**When we were last together**

**Your last breath**

**Our last sigh…**

_The voice sang and made Neji feel sad all of the sudden…it felt like the singer had expressed all her feelings in the song…Neji kept to his edge of the spring and he could feel the singer was on the other edge…_

**Alone at night I hear**

**A sweet lullaby**

**I feel a certain cold beneath my skin**

**But an unseen hand comforts me like someone I knew**

**Wiping away my tears with its warmth… **

**Scarlet tears shed by the ruby keys **

**Every note tells a story of that night before**

**When we were last together**

**Your last breath**

**Our last sigh…**KYAAAAAAAA!

_Neji jolted and sat aright at once…his eyes full of chakra, his Byakugan turned on…somebody screamed…and it was the singer…._

_Neji's jaw dropped to have an image of chakra flowing perfectly through the channels of a perfect figured, woman…He instantly regretted ever opening his eyes because he couldn't quite get the image off his mind._

"_Hyuuga-san!" _

_Neji knew the voice. He laid a hand on his eyes and turned off Byakugan… "Haruno! What the hell are you doing here!"_

"_What are **you** doing here?"_

"_I was resting when you suddenly appeared all of a sudden!" Neji still had his hand on his eyes…_

"_I was here first!" Sakura held on to her white towel... "And it's not like you should hog this spring! You don't even own it!"_

_Neji almost forgot to cover his eyes when Sakura said that…he was so outraged… "Well, I should! I discovered it a few months back!"_

_Sakura was silent for a minute…Neji smirked…He was here everyday and there was no evidence that anyone else could have been there…that means, the woman just discovered it today… _

"_Fine! If you're being so selfish, I would just have to leave!" She shouted…_

_Neji sensed the shaking of Sakura's voice…was this woman even going to think of crying? Over a spring!_

"_Fine! Leave! **No one will notice you're gone!**"_

_Sakura stomped away…_

_Neji noticed that Sakura was acting all upset when she left…Is she that weak to cry over some body of hot water?_

_Neji went back to his former position and took of his hand from his eyes…_

"_Now for some peace and quiet…" Neji sighed._

_He felt uncomfortable in the silence…right after the song, the silence felt like hell…_

_He realized he missed the singer…_

_He noticed that she was…_

_**Gone…

* * *

**_

"_Ino…I think I should have never agreed to go this festival…" Sakura was walking to the Center Square of Konoha with the lovely couple, composed of Shikamaru and Ino Nara…Ino was hugging her husband's arm for dear life…_

_Sakura was wearing an off-shoulder red dress, ending above her knees…she wore the black sandals like the ones Tsunade wore…and with the soft silk, the dress hugged her gentle curves that developed over the years. She wore little make-up like powder, blush-on and lip gloss…Her hair was let down until it reached her back… it wasn't as long as before and it wasn't as short as it was…_

_She was different…_

_Ino wore a similar dress to Sakura's but she wore more makeup like eye shadow, glitters and lipstick…And her hair was held up in the usual ponytail, but her hair ended right below the butt…And did I mention she had more 'bling'? She had her necklace, earrings, bangles, and the ring on her finger…_

_Shikamaru wore his usual seeing that the Hokage did not mention any requirements for clothing for his reinstatement festival…_

_Ino wore a smile…Shikamaru wore a smug, indifferent look and Sakura wore a disappointed, worried frown._

"_Shikamaru!" _

_Shikamaru turned around to look for his caller. He turned around and found that the one who called him was his friend, Chouji with their other friend, Kiba and Shino…and by the request of his owner-_

"_ROWRF!"_

_I mean, 'friend'…Akamaru…_

"_Rowrf!"_

Yeah, sure just remind Kiba about my 10 bucks…

"_Rowrf!"_

_I'm ten bucks richer and Shikamaru is still lazy… he turned to Ino and said "Ino, I'll just be with the guys…"_

"_OK!" Ino chirped and let go of her husband…when Shikamaru was away to his friends, Ino turned to Sakura and finally had their 'girl talk'_

"_What are you talking about, Sakura?"_

"_Ino…I'm afraid…"_

_Ino did a nice guy pose and then put a hand on Sakura's shoulder… "Don't be afraid, Sakura! I'll be here to protect until the day I die!"_

_Sakura grabbed Ino's shoulders "You don't get it Ino! I'm afraid! I'm afraid to get hurt again! I don't want to experience being left alone! I don't want to break the ice that covered my heart!"_

_Ino stared at the panic-stricken girl…Ino was speechless…Sakura's hands were trembling and her eyes were scared and worried….Her pupils were shaking just ready to cry…_

"_Ino…I don't think my heart could take it if someone stabbed it again…"

* * *

_

"_Neji! My man! How have yah been for the past twenty-four hours?" Naruto called out from the crowd…_

"_fine…naruto…fine…until you created the racket…" Neji sighed…_

"_Hehe!" Naruto walked over to where Neji stopped to_ 'wait'… _"Thanking you for waiting!"_

"_Hn."_

"_You know, guys like you may have problems…" Naruto said pouting… "I mean, I was just trying to make a fun conversation"_

"_When you're with me, eyes are enough when we have a conversation…" Neji said bluntly…and began walking, leaving Naruto to walk behind him_

"_Sure…brag about your Byakugan to those who are weak, innocent and very cute!" Naruto made a face…_

"_Hn."_

"_Again with the 'Hn!"_

"_Hn."_

"_Neji…" Naruto's voice suddenly became serious… "Trust me. Sakura's a wonderful woman…"_

_Neji turned around to see no one but the bustling crowd of teenagers who were trying to find some entertainment._

_Neji sighed and realized he hadn't thought about the said woman…when he did…he sighed and felt sorry about the things he said…_

"What's this? Guilt?"

FLASH

**Chakra flowing through chakra channels perfectly! Flawless! Flowing through the chakra channels of a perfectly curved woman…**

FLASH

**Green eyes…**

FLASH

_Neji blushed from the images he just saw…he shook his head so hard hoping that the images would be shook out…_

"Oh God…It's glued there…"

* * *

**Michi29 Mail: **Hoped you liked it! And since I updated fast, wouldn't that be a good enough reason to review?

Ne?

Ne?

Anyway, if you review, I would update even faster! It's an endless cycle! So please review! Hehe!

Wait for the next chapter! Because our favorite characters will be Dancing in the Rain!

Bye!

-Michi29

**Post Script: **The song's title is SCARLET PIANO LULLABY…oh, and I'll be doing two versions of the next chapter…I'll explain in my next update! See you then!


	5. Why?

**Michi29 Mail:** Ok, I said that I would do two versions of the next chapter and that our favorite characters will be dancing in the rain…

But…

I'm so very sad to say…that this is not the chapter I have been typing about in the last **_Michi29 Mail; Post Script_**…

And to continue the mourning, I decided that I will not continue the expected chapter because of the near 'first day of school'…

I also typed that I would be making two versions…it is because in the chapter, the details will **not** be fit to be made under the fiction rating: T (if you get what I mean)

Sorry for the inconvenience, hope you understand!

**The horrible truth: **I do not own Naruto, I don't own Neji. I do not own Killua Zaoldyeck. I do not own Hiwatari Satoshi. I do not own Mokona. I do not own With. I do not own Dietrich and I 'positutely' do not own (how sad…break out the violins!)

(And just to be safe…I'll convert this statement into a question. **"Is Cho Hakkai, really my father?"** HAHA! The police can never send me to court! It was a question! Not a declamation! Bwahahaha! I'm evil…. Oh and did I mention that Hiwatari Satoshi's seiyuu is the same one who is the seiyuu of Cho Hakkai? )It's true! No wonder I felt nostalgic with his voice!

**Post Script:** Even though this chapter they would not be Dancing in the Rain…at least they would be dancing…

On with the chapter!

* * *

_Sakura stood silently beside Ino who was getting bored of waiting lamely for Shikamaru_

_The band was still playing some music and people decided to stay there til morning…Konoha villagers are such party animals….and also because they kinda waited for this day to arrive...they really didn't expect Naruto to be the 6th Hokage…but they did want to see him make it._

"_Ok, everybody…We're going to play a song especially for the lovers out there…enjoy!" A voice boomed through the now bustling crowd…girls blushing and some guys inviting girls to dance. And as sudden as the announcement came, Shikamaru disappeared from sight, he was walking and he could just see Ino waving to him in the distance_

_Ino was waving to him when he suddenly came into view, then she stopped when the announcement was said. She smiled and was about to call on Shikamaru when he suddenly disappeared "You better get back here, Mister!"_

"_Shikamaru has very weird ways from avoiding something troublesome..." Sakura giggled_

"_Hmph! He better be marching back now or I'm not feeding for a month!" Ino smirked to Sakura_

"_And let me guess…he'll ba saying_ **"Women are soooo troublesome"** _right? " Sakura smirked_

"_Look who's coming, Sakura…"_

"_Huh?"_

"_It's Rock Lee" Ino smiled…_

"_Oh no! He might ask me to dance!" Sakura tried to hide behind Ino, but Ino would not let her_

"_Sakura! If someone asks you to dance with him, especially if he's the first one asking, you should accept his invitation!"_

"_But…"_

"_No buts sakura! It will seem rude to the first asker if you decline because you don't seem tired at all and you didn't accept! HE will just have to think you don't like him! Don't you like Lee?" Ino scolded…_

"_I do! But not the way that he hopes me to!" Sakura was really trying to hide, but Ino didn't think it was appropriate._

"_Well I guess you have no choice. He's already a few steps away…"_

"_What!"_

"_3…..2….." Ino was counting the seconds… "1"_

"_Good evening, ladies!"_

"_Hi, Lee…" Ino said happily but Sakura said cautiously_

"_Sakura-san…would you-" Lee was about to ask when something stopped him from finishing his sentence…_

"_Dance with me." It was an order, not a request…and the three of them knew the voice, especially the one being pulled away deep into the dance floor_

"_Hyuuga-san!"_

"_What?" Neji stopped walking and looked at Sakura, his eyes piercing hers, and this made Sakura blush. A memory just flashed through her mind…and it was the one when she almost saw the Hyuuga prodigy half naked and when the Hyuuga almost saw her with only a towel to hide herself in…_

"_Nothing..." Sakura blushed even more. To her ears she sounded very stupid; to Neji's ears she was being modest._

_Ino had her mouth open for all the flies to buzz into and so did Lee, but after a few seconds of registering what just happened. Ino smiled her widest and thought that Sakura was a lucky woman._

_Lee still stood there shocked that Neji would just swipe the love of his life from his fingers, but he was even more shocked that Neji would ask someone to dance. And he couldn't believe that Neji knew how to dance even more! He was marching up to Neji and was about to teach him a thing or two about manners when he caught a glimpse of his eyes._

_He stopped in his tracks. He didn't know if he should be scared of the look in his eyes, or should he be amazed? He did not see that look in his eyes the whole time that they were in the same team, but he also saw the look in Sakura's eyes and the blush in her cheeks…_

_Lee has never seen those in a very long time. He just sighed and let it go .He knew who Sakura really loved…She was happy again…_

"_Lee…" a voice called with a tap on his shoulders to match._

_Lee turned around and felt his heart skip a beat. His eyes locked with the most beautiful twinkling brown eyes he has ever seen and noticed only now… "Tenten?"_

_Tenten had a blush in her cheeks and a shy look in her eyes. Lee stood transfixed at the maiden before him. Tenten wore a green dress that ended right before her knees and a collar much like the collar that her training clothes had._

_Lee was even more amazed with her hair, Tenten had them up in the same height as her everyday buns, but not this time...this time it was in pigtails! Long brown pigtails of pure wavy elegance! "Wow! Tenten! You look breath-taking!"_

"…" _Tenten was speechless. She blushed even more because of what Lee just said._

_Lee kneeled down back into his normal self "Oh lovely maiden! Where have you been all my life!"_

_Tenten panicked because of what Lee was doing…so embarrassing! She smacked Lee on the head to get her nerves down._

"_Argh!" Lee got hit so hard that he landed on the floor, and eventually became unconscious_

"_Kyaaa! Lee!" Tenten cradled his big head with his bowl-shaped hair and fuzzy eyebrows in her arms "Lee! Are you ok!"_

_meanwhile…_

…**with our hands on each other…**

…**not even Heaven can separate us two…**

…**because my wings will protect you…**

…**and keep you close to me…**

…**don't leave me…**

…**my sweet flower…**

…**don't let the wind blow you away…**

…**fly with me…**

…**and be with me…**

_Sakura's hands graced themselves around the Hyuuga prodigy's neck and Neji had his hands embracing the sweet curves of Tsunade's number one apprentice (Aside from Shizune)_

_Sakura had her head bowed; she didn't feel like looking into the intense stare that she could feel, Neji was giving her. And she was also afraid that she might step on one of the scariest (also gorgeous) men in Konoha's foot. She'd surely regret ever making that mistake. _

_What Sakura didn't know, Neji was in the same boat as her. Neji tried to avoid looking at Sakura's face, fearing that he might do something that his hormones tempted him to do. Of course, that meant it would be something drastic. So what he did, he looked up into the sky, hoping something might distract him from the tingling feeling of his fingers and he was afraid that, if he looked down, he would be looking down to the 'village between the two big mountains'…_

_And he would be helpless to his _needs

_And at the thought, the Hyuuga prodigy flushed…Which did not escape the gaze of the nearby group of men by the 'Odemya' booth where they sold all kinds sake…_

_The group of men consisted of, the grinning Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto, the proud (and crying big waterfalls) teacher, Maito Gai, the perverted hermit, Jiraiya, the jounin with his eye miraculously out of his little orange book, Hatake Kakashi, and the others were just plain drunk and grinning, like Chouji, Kiba, Shikamaru, and Lee. (Tenten had to go to the fairy princess' room and Shino decided to hit the sack) _

"_Um…"_

"_Er…"_

_They were about to speak at the same time and they faced each other at about that same moment as they were about to speak…_

"_I'm sorry, Hyuuga-san. You go first…" Sakura blushed at how their faces were so close, and she didn't notice that the Hyuuga's white cheeks turned rosy…_

"_For me to apologize is as rare as the blue moon, Haruno…" Neji talked with perfect control…with his eyes!_

"_You don't have to apologize…I was at fault as well" Sakura said that...but she meant it by a quarter of a foot._

"_I do…" Neji smiled a little…he was hoping that his father's hereditary charm would work right now "And, I'm sorry"_

_Sakura just looked at his sincere eyes of pure white. It was so pure. It was the like the light that lead her away from the darkness…_

"_Do you forgive me?" Neji asked "Sakura?"_

_Sakura could feel her eyes getting teary "What?"_

"_Do you forgive me?"_

"_Y-yes…of course." Sakura felt her cheeks burning with warm blood "But, honestly Neji-kun, there is nothing to forgive"_

"_What did you call me?" Neji sounded surprised. But for Sakura he sounded pissed._

_Sakura gasped "I'm so sorry! I meant Hyuuga-san" Sakura bowed her head in shame_

"_It's ok." Neji reached for Sakura's chin and clasped it between his thumb and index finger. He smiled lightly…in his thoughts, he wasn't even worthy to have his name called with the same suffix as how Sakura called the Uchiha. He wasn't worthy to be in the same pedestal that Sakura had placed Sasuke._

_He felt that he was much meaner to her. Sure, Sasuke left Sakura, but Neji was sure that before the bastard left, he must have protected the Haruno a dozen of times in missions where Sakura wasn't strong enough to handle fights for herself. _

_And Neji did nothing…he didn't speak to her like they were friends. He didn't treat her like a woman, but as an expected burden. He treated her like a medic that was only there to cure him when he couldn't cure himself._

_He didn't treat her with respect. _

_He didn't treat her like she had feelings._

_He didn't treat her like she was a person. _

_He didn't treat her like she was…_

_Sakura_

_The music stopped playing and the DJ played another song for some kind of dance that Neji could never muster to dance in multiple lifetimes. "All right! Kiddies! This is our song! Dance until the sun is up, because we're gonna partttyyyyy!"_

_Neji let go of Sakura and stood before her looking at her face. Sakura rested her right hand on her chest, her eyes staring intently at calm eyes of Hyuuga Neji. Both of them were silent, despite the cheers and roars of the crowd, they felt silence can never be broken._

_Neji looked straight at Sakura, no one else. He bowed to her and with now words said, he started to walk away, and disappear._

_But Sakura wasn't someone who would let someone disappear…after she was abandoned years ago. Abandoned by a very different man…because the one who abandoned her was a mere little boy…a boy so immature…a boy who sought power._

_But this time, she felt like she couldn't anything._

_Neji was already far from the people…the stalls…the fun…the laughter…from Sakura_

_Sakura just stared at the people dancing and stood there, frozen to the spot. A tear rolled down her cheek and fell to the cold cement…_

_Then she felt as if a hand gave her a soft push…and she ran…_

_She ran…and she ran…and she ran after Neji…_

"I already know…I figured it out! I love him!"

"_NEJI-KUN!" Sakura called, running toward him in the distance…He was already at the path surrounded by trees that leads to his home…there was no one…just Neji…_

_Neji heard a familiar voice…and a comforting call…he stopped his steady steps and turned around to look for his caller…_

"_huh?"_

_Then arms suddenly wrapped themselves around the prodigy's neck. "Neji-kun!"_

_Neji was surprised at first, because no one would dare hug him…And then he saw her pink hair. He wrapped his own arms around her waist and smiled. "Sakura…"_

_Sakura pulled away a little just so that she could look at his face. "Neji-kun, I already know. I've sorted it out! " tears rolled down her cheeks and she closed her eyes... "I love you"_

_Neji panicked because he knew what she wanted…but feeling the girl in his arms was enough to calm him down…he closed his own eyes and lessened the gaps between them…_

_Then Sakura felt the arms leave her waist and hands placed themselves on her shoulders. "I'm sorry"_

_Sakura opened her eyes. Neji was looking at his feet. He was red in the face… "I am so sorry"_

"_Huh? What are you apologizing for?"_

_Neji pulled away from Sakura's embrace… he stood a distance away "Thank you."_

_More tears found their way to Sakura's eyes. "What are you talking about!"_

"_Thank you for everything…"_

_Sakura's memories of a distant day flashed before her eyes. "Why are you thanking me?"_

_Neji didn't answer and turned around to regain his pace in coming home…_

_Sakura felt weak and knelt down…she covered her face with her hands and let the tears flow down… "WHHHYYY!"_

…**why do you leave me when you don't want me to leave…**

…**why do you let me cry when you don't want me to be sad…**

…**why do you say you love me…**

"Why?"

* * *

_The next day Neji walked to the Hokage's home bright and early…his face back to the poker face that it was and his eyes full of decision_

_When he arrived at the door, he knocked lightly and waited for the door to be opened…_

_Hinata's voice ringed through "Who is it?" She opened the door and her eyes widened at the visitor "Neji-niisan?"_

"_Is Naruto awake?"_

"_Yeah…he's at the kitchen drinking coffee" Hinata opened the door a little wider "Come in."_

_Neji stepped in and followed Hinata to Naruto. Hinata lead him through hallways until they reached a bright room with the smells of coffee bounced off the walls._

"_Hinata-chan, who was at the door?" he said his back turned to Hinata and the visitor._

"_Good morning Naruto"_

_Naruto turned around at the voice. "Oh, Neji! Good Morning! What brings you here?"_

"_I can't come over to my cousin's place?" Neji was trying to stay calm_

"_Uh...Neji, you never do that." Naruto was stirring the cup of brewed coffee in his hand with a metal spoon._

"_Right."_

"_I'll be right outside." Hinata bowed and left. She felt that she wasn't supposed to be in this conversation_

"_Ok, Hinata-chan!" Naruto smiled to his wife and then turned to Neji when Hinata was gone. "So, Neji what do you want?"_

"_Naruto, I need a vacation." Neji said crossing his arms._

"_So? Go have one then"_

"_Then I'll need a mission…a long one…a mission that might take months…"_

"_You know Neji, I think you got the 'vacation'-'mission' thing upside down and shaken and then mixed up" Naruto cocked an eyebrow._

"_Do you have one?"_

"_Yeah…But only one."_

"_I'll take it!"_

"_I don't really know what's going on so I'm gonna ask you" Naruto took as sip of coffee "What is going on?"_

"_I just need to get away from it all" Neji sounded distant and looked away._

"_Ok…then. Be at my office later at noon and I'll get a squadron ready for." Naruto took another sip of coffee "Neji, get home and get prepared. Judging from estimation, this mission might take three months before it get completed._

"_Hai." Neji took himself to the door and started for home. And on the way, he sorted things out and made sure he wanted to do this. _

"No, Neji, You don't want to do this. You just have to do this."

* * *

**Michi29 Mail:** I would like to thank my faithful readers (even if they do not review…but please, PLEASE, Review), and especially my reviewers!

And I would like to thank my new beta reader, **akai ladycuteluck**! Thanks for the help! And thank you for always pushing me! Don't think it's an insult! And to my readers, don't think that I'm being unfair at choosing my beta reader, it's just because we are close friends and we know each other very well…and she's the one who pushes me the most!

Love yah! MWAH! Sorry if I can't do it on the phone!

**Post Script: **And to my readers I am so very sorry for the change of plans!

**Bonus:** Please review! Thanks!

**The very last:** Hello to **Kagome Taisho**! I hope you enjoy watching **blood(plus)**! Let's support the cute SAYA-CHAN! She's soooo my favorite…!

**I was kidding about the last one, because this is the very last one: **Please RevieW! You just have to click the little button with the 'Go' word…you can't miss it! And I activated the anonymous just for you guys who don't have accounts here! Please review!

Thanks,

Michi29

* * *

updated: 06/05/06 (guess what tomorrow is) 


	6. Halfway Home

**6 Halfway Home**

**Asylem29 Mail:** Thanks for the suggestion. I had already had an idea but when you suggested it, I thought about it and then it gave me a better idea and outlook for the Neji/Sakura 'goosebumps-caused-by-fluff factor'.

**Post Script:** I got a flame. My first flame. I mean, it wasn't ay kind of constructive criticism where one can point out errors and how to do a better job at writing next time…It just said that this story sucks…

SUCKS!

Sigh…

So yeah…that was the reason it took me long to update. I got a little discouraged. (And of course, I was grounded…_again_!)

I am so sorry if this didn't suit your liking! Sorry if this was how I liked it to be! Sorry if this pairing was 'my thing' right now! Sorry if this was the very essence of my being where I put a little of myself in every phrase!

Sorry if I was being myself…!

Sorry if I'm being too sensitive and exaggerated. Bui I know that you know that you also hate to get flames! Who does?

**LIES:** I own naruto…I do not own my original characters….i am doing a superb job in writing this…and I own "The Day the Music Died"…

* * *

**They were already halfway home…**

_Neji jumped through the trees, now returning home with the Acceptance scrolls that he kept hidden within the squadron._

_The squadron consisted of him as "Anbu Captain"; two anbus specialized in combat, another two who specialized in spying and one medic._

_Neji did not know who was in his squadron. He did not know because he did not wish to know, for when he interrogated by opposing ninjas (if that ever happens). The some of the squad did not know him. Only the two spies showed great respect upon hearing the Hyuuga's voice. The other three treated him with the respect that one inferior would give his superior. The other three, in short, were clueless._

_Neji's mission was to collect the scrolls of Acceptance, as Naruto being the new Hokage, from the Kazekage, Gaara, in Suna, all the way from the Wind Region._

_If these were not collected, the disaster might insult the country of new leadership or the country of pending approval, and this might make the allies move into war._

_Neji knew that Gaara of the Sand would never reject the new Hokage that was Naruto. Gaara knew that Naruto was capable of making the ties stronger. Gaara _did _know Naruto._

_But this was mere tradition similar to the ceremony held after the assignment._

_It must be followed._

_Neji stopped. He held out his arm and everyone behind him halted._

"_There are five people just behind those two trees. Twenty degrees north, thirty seconds away. Confirmed hostile. I repeat, confirmed hostile" Neji whispered to the people, his byakugan on._

"_Do you see where their specific position is?" the spy whispered._

"_No. They have somehow scattered the chakra to the place around them. But I can see where they are most concentrated." Neji whispered._

"_Where are the scrolls?" The medic whispered and the voice was too small for Neji to recognize._

_Three of the Anbus looked at the medic through the small eye slits and the asker knew who they were. They didn't show the scrolls for it was too risky to show the scrolls with hostiles a few seconds away._

"_The other three should serve as decoys. Stalling them would be easy, since it's not hard to beat them to pulp." One said._

"_Never underestimate the enemy. You'll lose easier that way." Neji said with little anger, maximum annoyance and ultimate 'uncle-like' scolding mode._

"**Look down on them…and you end up looking up from the soil you were buried under."**

"_The other three should serve as decoys and the other three bearers should directly go to Konoha. We don't need to get us all killed. Our mission is to deliver the scrolls immediately, and that is what we must complete. The ones left should leave as soon as the battle with the hostiles is over." Neji narrated._

"_But what'll happen if we die?" a rookie asked._

"_Then you die with honor! You served your country and you protected your family…Everyone will be proud!" the medic stated…_

"_Well…" Neji straightened himself. "All inspirational talks finished?"_

_No one responded._

"_Good." Neji took a kunai out. "Let Operation Slice commence."

* * *

_

"_Sakura!" _

_a blonde beauty pushed through the crowd to get to her pink haired friend. "Sakura!"_

_Sakura Haruno. Medic. Kunoichi. Woman. Heart-broken woman who has not yet recovered even after a few months._

"_Sakura!" the blonde Ino finally caught up with her friend and push down force on her friend's shoulder._

"_Ah! Ino-chan!" Sakura sank a few centimeters due to the bending of her weak knees. "Sorry. I guess I was spaced out again."_

_Ino frowned. "Sakura have you been eating?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_I meant, eating well?"_

"_No." Sakura's smile disappeared._

"_Come on Sakura! He's just a guy!" Ino whined, worried for Sakura's health._

"_Do you really think he is, Ino! For real, Ino! Do you!" Sakura shook Ino, her hands on Ino's shoulders "I bet you won't say that if he dumped you!"_

_Ino shook off Sakura's hands "Yes. I won't be the one to say that if I was in your place. I bet I would still be eating ice cream out of the carton if I were you."_

_Sakura turned away "Do you get it now?"_

"_Yeah Sakura, I do." Ino stepped in front of Sakura "But you have to understand, Sakura. If you're a doctor and you have sick patients, do you think they'd be psyched up to be better again if their doctor isn't much help to be sunshine in the process of their healing?_

_Sakura looked into Ino's eyes. Ino wasn't worried for the patients, Ino was worried for her. Sakura grew teary eyed._

"_Ino! How? How, all of a sudden, did you get spunk?"_

"_Sakura, one of us has to go get it once in a while. We both need it and if none of us don't get it, it'll be for nothing."_

_I'm so lucky to have met you

* * *

_

don't leave me

please don't leave me

like the others did

because if you leave

I'll be all alone

Please don't leave me…

You little nobody…

* * *

_**And they were singing,**_

_**Bye…bye…Ms. American Pie**_

_**Drove the Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry**_

_**And good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye**_

_**Will this be the day that I'll die?**_

_**Will this be the day that I'll die?**_

"_Will I die?"

* * *

_

_The medic had this stupid song running in his or her head. It was of no significant meaning but she needed to distract him or herself from what he or she was about to do. Either he or she will kill or he or she will be killed…it's a simple matter really. _

_No…not really_

_The medic sighed. The medic crept up to the tree, crawled around the tree to at least get a better look at what was he or she was supposed to deal with…the medic's eyes widened_

"_Oh_ **Anne Boleyn**_" she whispered. In front of him or her were not ninjas. They were scarecrows concentrated with chakra_

_A kunai flew to the medic's neck…the medic had dodged it! "AAAMBUSH!"_

_And at that moment, a big cloud of smoke appeared out of nowhere "ATTTAAACCK!" cried a voice_

"_This day stinks on ice!" the medic thought…the medic didn't think how this would get any worse…_

_Neji scowled. He should have known it was a trap. He should have known it was too easy. _

_He should have expected the unexpected_

"_Damn it!" He swore. He fled away from his hiding place knowing that his location would have been found out by then._

"_Squadron! Abort! Abort!" Neji shouted in the smoke "Complete mission designated! Take off!"_

"_Yes sir!" 4 voices answered. Neji grew serious. There were 6 of them._

_A kunai flew over his head by an inch. If he hadn't dodged it at the nick of time, he would have had a whole through his head._

_Punches and kicks flew at him from the smoke and he dodged everyone of them…unknown to the hostiles, Neji knew how to 'see through' things_

"_Give me the scroll!" The attacker ordered._

_Neji dodged another batch of attacks….He couldn't concentrate his chakra to his hands. He was getting distracted by the lighting fast of the feet and wrists. "You are not my commanding officer"_

_The attacker slapped him._

_The attacker actually SLAPPED him_

_Neji felt that the attacker had paused. Neji WAS slapped…but his face had not moved…resistance was one of Neji's expertise._

"_I am not a master of 'cat fights'.." Neji found his center "but if you want to fight that way"_

_Neji's hands glowed "THEN BE MY GUEST!"_

_Neji's full-blown attack of a fully-charged, 'push' sent his attacker feet away_

"_AAAAAAHHHH!"_

_Neji's eyes became normal again and he knew a fight happening somewhere else inside the smoke had become bloodier_

_He knew he must help_

_They must complete the mission_

_Neji cursed._

**They were already halfway home…

* * *

**

**Asylem29 Mail:** Sorry if it was short! But if tried to make it even longer I would have updated this story by the next month! Thanks for all those who stayed! I love all of you!

I can't wait to at least hit the '70 review' mark…! But I know I'll get there someway somehow!

I mean I am still an amateur but I know I'll make it out alive.

Love,

**Asylem29**

**_The future is for those who believe in the beauty of their dreams_**

_**-Eleanor Roosevelt**_

**P.S.** I'm gonna need 30 more reviews to update

XDXDXD


	7. A New Player Gets Into the Game

**Asylem29 Mail:** I would like to thank everyone who reviewed. Thank you, thank you. I bet everyone knew, even though I was getting excited, that I was just kidding about the '30-review' thing.

I just want at least a hundred at least on one of my stories. I know there is no hope for my over-dated oneshots.

**Post Script: **To : **squirel hating tacos** Ooopps! I'm sorry. Did I put in there that it was a she? Maybe I just forgot to type a 'he' somewhere or did I really tell? AAARRRGGGHHH! I'm so dumb! Now I'll have change the main part of the chapter! And sorry for those 'he or she' in the last chapter…I knew it was confusing.

On with the chapter!

* * *

"_Capt. Hyuuga!" the medic shook the ANBU captain's shoulders in an attempt to wake him up. "Capt. Hyuuga please be alive!" _

_Neji groaned. "Yes…Yes, I'm alive"_

"_Captain!" the medic shouted._

_Neji groaned. He already had a headache. "Medic. Please…silence"_

"_Oh. Yeah. Sorry." The medic's apologetic voice was heard by Neji and felt nostalgic about it. The medic helped him sit up. He leaned upon a wall. A stony wall, and with that feeling on his back, he had the same feeling of hardness on the lower part of his body. This wasn't the place where they had fought earlier. The place was a shadowed cave._

"_Medic. Status Report." He commanded, followed by a flinch._

"_Captain!"_

"_I'm fine. What happened?" Neji found himself without an armor and a shirt. He was maskless and he had bandages wrapped around his ribs and his abdomen._

_The medic hesitated to answer. Neji noticed this. "Medic. What happened to the rest of the team?"_

"_The hostiles were from Otou, captain. They all died. Two of our squadron died too, captain." The medic whispered._

_Neji's eyes drooped…it was of sadness, exhaustion and pride "They die with honor"_

"_The other two of our squadron survived. They had minor injuries that I cured easily. They decided to take the scrolls back to Konoha when they woke up." The medic continued._

"_You said they had minor injuries. What happened to me?" Neji asked. It wasn't like him to wake up later than anyone else. "You were shouting at me like hell was set loose when I woke up._

"_you had internal organs damaged, internal hemorrhage and a two lobes of your lungs were in a severe case when I found you. It was good I found you on time, any later, you could have died. One damaged lobe in the lung could have been enough to kill you." The medic explained._

"_Tell me your name, medic"_

"_Captain-"_

"_Don't disobey me, medic" Neji felt the medic's hesitation._

"_Hasegawa Noruki." The medic said in a rush "My name is Noruki, Captain."_

"_You made the right choice, Hasegawa." Neji said. "You don't know what I could have done to you, even if I am in this condition, even if I do owe you my life."_

_Neji tried to stand up, he was stopped by Noruki._

"_Captain! Your rib cage needs to be healed! You need to lie down, so it won't be deformed!"_

_Neji didn't listen to him. He knew what he had to do. He stood up straight like he wasn't injured at all. Of course, he had a little help with the wall he was holding on to, but enough about that. "We need to get home."_

"_Huh?" Noruki made a confused face "But Captain, it would be hard for you to travel-"_

"_don't tell me what I can and cannot do!" Neji shouted, and in a calmer voice much like a tired one, said, "you're being like my uncle"_

_Noruki didn't say anything after that. He knew his officer in command has had his mind set on getting home…_

"_Take off your mask and lower your hood, Hasegawa." Neji put on his shirt. "It'll be a lot easier and faster when we reach Konoha. We're just a few miles away from main Konoha. We're just a mile away from the border line."_

"_Yes, sir." He did as he was told. Neji's eyes were of pure shock when the mask was pocketed and the hood hanged._

_Black hair…_

_Black eyes…_

"_U-uchiha?"_

"_Did you say something, Capt?" Noruki looked at Neji._

"_Uh…It was nothing. I thought you were somebody I fought." Neji brushed off… "But, Hasegawa?"_

"_Yes, sir?"_

"_Have we ever met before? I mean…your voice, it sounded familiar when you were whispering before the ambush." Neji struggled with getting the words out of his mouth since he felt that his rib cage was caving-in on his lungs._

"_No sir. I just used another person's voice, to disguise mine." Noruki fixed everything he had in his vest and other pockets._

_Neji raised an eyebrow. "a woman's?"_

_Noruki blushed slightly. "yes, sir. I hoped if anyone suspected I was a woman, the enemy would think I would be the least threat of us, and I would be able to send them a surprise."_

"_Whose voice?"_

"_Sir?"_

"_Who is the woman who owns the voice?"_

"_Somebody who has amazing medical skills" Noruki blushed even more. He was now fiddling with his belt. "She was somebody I idolized for that, and her beauty."_

"**Idolized**_?" Neji smirked "I suspect more. What is her name?"_

"_I don't know if you might have met her…" Noruki beamed "Her name is_ **Haruno Sakura**."

_Neji's jaw could have dropped if he hadn't had self-control. "Sakura?"_

_Noruki didn't hear what Neji just said. "Haruno Sakura, what a remarkable woman"

* * *

_

"_Sakura?" _

_a hand waved_

"_Sakura? Sakura? Yoo-hoo?" a girl's hand waved in front of Sakura's green eyes._

"_hm-mm…Neji?" Sakura moaned, eyes, dazed._

"_SAKURA!" the other green-eyed girl shouted to 'wake' the medic up._

"_Wha-what?! Mio-chan! What are you doing here?" Sakura stood up in surprise._

_Mio was a girl, one year younger than Sakura. She had green eyes and black curly hair. She was once alive with activity, but after some unexplainable event, she was cooped up in a small world created by her cruel parents who could perform such "magic". She was trapped. She lost all connections with the outside world._

_Some of Mio's friends became worried o they asked for some help. When Sakura and her past team, found Mio in one search mission, the spell on Mio was broken the instant her parents were caught. Sakura then found out that she was adopted. Reasons, for her being locked up is still unknown._

_Mio, now, is back to her past-self. She's going for a new image, and she's getting there. Everything's just going against her._

"_Hello?" Mio knocked gently on Sakura's forehead. "Anybody home? I'm trying to prevent you from drooling on the counter!"_

"_I am so not drooling!" Sakura retorted_

"_Whatever." Mio rolled her eyes "Oh and you still haven't retrieved your mail since the day after the festival. Here you go."_

_The girl handed Sakura a bag_

"_A new job?" Sakura's eyebrow rose while she shuffled in the bag "What happened to your old one?"_

"_Let's just say, in that other job, I was a little inactive."_

"_You just made those fortunes in those fortune cookies! What could go wrong?" Sakura scoffed_

"_Sorry if I suffered from writer-of-fortune's block!" Mio squinted her eyes "These kind of things needs inspiration, you know?"_

"_All this?" Sakura buried her arm in the bag and felt the end of her mail._

"_Well, it seems you have another secret admirer" Mio winked._

"_You read _my _mail!?!"_

"_No I didn't! Mail girl's honor!" Mio raised her right hand in promise_

"_Then how could you possibly know!?!"_

"_The hearts drawn on the front and the back? I don't know!" Mio's words dripped in sarcasm which made Sakura dig deep into the bag_

_Sakura retrieved one letter and opened it in a rush. She didn't bother to read the envelope (with hearts drawn on it) or the letter itself (which was very long because of the colorful words). She read the name signed on the bottom._

"**_Ha_-hasega-gawa No-noruki?**" _Sakura stuttered._

"_sounds handsome, Sakura!" Mio beamed "So, I'll leave you to your fanmail! I've got a job now you know! See you later, you lucky pup!"_

"_Wa-wait! Mi-mio!!!"

* * *

_

"_Hasegawa…" Neji's voice faded _

"_**THUD!"**_

"_Captain? Captain!!!"

* * *

_

**Asylem29 Mail:** To a dear friend of mine, I'm sorry, I promised you a story explosion but I ended up breaking that promise too…I'm really sorry. School snook up on me and black-outs were frequent. And I bet you know how DSL works…

Anyway, Thanks for reading everybody! If it was short for any of you, i'm really sorry! I'm avoiding what i like nowadays...

pressure? stress? no.

madness is what it is!

Please do review!

Love,

_**Asylem29**_


	8. The Sister and the Uncle

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto and its characters.

* * *

**Chapter 8**

"_Ohhh" Neji moaned. There was something wrong. He couldn't see…it was dark. He couldn't hear anything…it was quiet. He could smell…and this was definitely not the forest._

"_Oh. You're awake."_

"_Hasegawa?" Neji squinted his eyes in an attempt to see the speaker_

"_It's Sakura, Hyuuga-san." Sakura flicked something and light shone through the hospital room in which they were in. It was a lamp on a table._

_Of course, the window was left without a curtain. But the mist everywhere covered the outside; even the clouds covered the moon and the stars._

_Yes. It was night._

"_What are you doing in the dark?" Neji struggled…_struggled _to sit up._

"_I didn't want you to wake up because of me. I wanted you to wake up because you decided to." Sakura's face was non-emotional, but her eyes were the complete opposite._

"_Sleep isn't that important."_

"_It is when you're healing." Sakura said back "If you haven't noticed, most pain you've felt are now nonexistent."_

"_Where's Noruki?" Neji tore away from the medic_

"_Off in another mission." She said with a slight blush from the name._

"_We just finished this one." Neji raised an eyebrow._

"_It's been a week since he and you finished the mission." Sakura stated._

"_A week?!" Neji coughed after the sudden outburst. Sakura stood up and took the pitcher of water on the bedside table and poured some water into a glass, which she gave to Neji._

"_Be careful at what you do. Your wounds were too severe to be healed in a few days." Sakura cautioned._

"_I've been out that long?!" He said after taking one good gulp._

"_What do you expect? Reconstructing a damaged lobe of the lung with chakra is a long process. Surgery would only complicate things. The risk would have been 60:40 in favor of death." Sakura told him as if she was talking about a basketball game. "But with chakra, you'd have more of a chance of living, 51:49."_

"_Tch" Neji regretted the days he spent in the hospital instead of training in the sunlight._

"_So...Neji-san…" Sakura muttered loud enough for the patient to hear._

"_What?"_

"_How much do you know about Noruki-san?"_

"_Why would you like to know?" Neji asked. But one long look at the table, he knew exactly why Sakura would want to know more, because on the table, was a large bouquet of roses and a card saying:_

**For: Ms. Sakura Haruno**

"_Oh, never mind." Sakura smiled…fake-like "why don't you go and get some sleep?"

* * *

_

_The sun shone bright, next morning, the birds sang a light tune, flying out and about…_

**free**

"_Hiashi-sama! Hiashi-sama!"_

_The tall Hyuuga stopped in his tracks and waited for the messenger boy to catch up with him. "What do you need?"_

"_The elders would like a talk with you." The boy said, finally stopping beside Hiashi, only looking up until his shoulders as a sign of pure respect._

"_Tell them I'm busy, Niro." Hiashi told him._

"_Why don't you tell us yourself, Hiashi." A voice suddenly said behind the two males._

_Niro gasped. He bowed low. There in the hall, were the elders which consisted of two old men, two old women._

"_You may go back to what you were doing, Niro." One woman elder told him._

"_Yes, ma'am." And Niro was gone._

"_Good morning." Hiashi greeted them with a hidden scowl. "Why don't we proceed to a room where we won't be disturbed?"_

"_No need for that, Hiashi." One man elder said. He had long silver hair and a bent physique, but he stood with much pride and dignity._

"_We're only here to remind you how very long we've been waiting for the marriage of your nephew that you told us so much about for the past few months." The other woman elder commented._

"_It, as hoped and promised, will be soon." Hiashi said, wishing his voice sounded convincing as he tried to be in his mind._

"_We can't stand any more of your and you nephew's procrastination, Hiashi." The other man elder told him "If you haven't noticed, it is very unnerving"_

"_And now that your nephew is back from his mission, we hope this wedding will be very soon." The woman elder who spoke first said "This will be the end of our last reminder, Hiashi. If you wish to speak to us, we will be playing cards upstairs."_

_And with a wide grin of the woman, the elders left quietly and quickly for old people._

_At the elders' departure, Hiashi took in a large inhalation of air. "I think, I need to pay a short visit to the hospital."

* * *

_

_Sakura was walking about in the hospital checking her other patients and the patients of her other colleagues who decided to have an early lunch…bastards. _

_The next patient on her colleague's list was a_

**Hasegawa Kiruno**

_Wait…_Hasegawa?

Sakura knocked on the door and she heard a faint "The door is open" from the other side. She _opened the door and she began to smile as the door creaked to reveal a girl about two years younger than her. Sakura took a quick glance at Kiruno's patient profile and found out that Kiruno was just a year younger. And she also found out the girl had Typhoid Fever._

_Sakura was amazed how young the girl looked. "Hello, Kiruno-san. I'll be your checker-upper for today."_

"_Okay." She said in that faint voice._

"_So how are you feeling?" Sakura walked over to the girl with short, black hair. The girl was very pale, but the only made her eyes look much darker and deeper. Sakura placed her middle and pointer fingers on the girl's left wrist. She felt the girl's pulse no matter how faint it was. Sakura checked her wristwatch every now and then._

"_I feel fine, but I know something's still happening inside me." The girl replied._

"_You know a lot."_

"_I think I should know better…" the girl insisted_

"_No matter. You'll be out in a couple of days now that your fever's gone down." Sakura gave the patient a smile "But I still have to check for your temperature." Sakura took the thermometer on the girl's bedside and sterilized it with a cotton ball and alcohol._

"_Okay." The girl gave Sakura a big smile._

_After five minutes, Sakura beamed. "Well, according to this tube of mercury, you're ay-okay!"_

"_That's great!"_

"_Hey…you've grown more cheery this past week!" Sakura commented writing down notes on the girl's progress report._

"_Well, you see my brother visited me two days ago before he left for his mission, and he promised me he'd stay longer after that." Kiruno beamed herself_

"_That's great!" Sakura was finishing what she was writing. "Tell me, is your brother's name, Noruki?"_

"_Yeah! Do you know him?!" Kiruno's eyes twinkled_

"_Yes. We met a week ago."_

"_Isn't he nice? He's the best brother in the whole world!" Kiruno exclaimed "He said, he'll pay for everything that'll need to be paid for in the hospital!"_

"_Wow. That's generous." Sakura blushed._

"_Yeah! And another reason I'm happy because he's happy!" Kiruno could've jumped if she could "You see, my brother finally got to talk to the girl he loves!"_

"_loves?" Sakura repeated._

"_Yes! He loves the woman! He tells me stories about her all the time! He told me she was an amazing medic and an incredible kunoichi! She's smart and beautiful too!" Kiruno's voice wasn't so faint now._

"_Well, I hope Noruki would be happy like this all the time from now on, seeing how happy he could make his sister." Sakura told her._

"_And it's all because of _that_ woman!"

* * *

_

_After Sakura finished her rounds, she went for a walk outside. She ignored everything that went past her and didn't call her. She ignored all the sounds not meant for her. _

"_Sakura!"_

_Sakura's head turned to the left and found Tsunade inside a bar, red in the face. Tsunade waved to her with a bottle in had. "Shishou?!"_

"_Have a drink, Sakura! It's on me!" Tsunade yelled from inside._

_Sakura hesitated but she went inside anyway. She approached the former Hokage's table and sat down. And when she was comfortable and well seated, man approached their table full of toppled bottles._

"_Tsunade, I'm back."_

_Sakura's eyes widened, she stood up and bowed. "Hyuuga-sama!"_

_The Hyuuga's white eyes traveled to the girl and he looked down on her the same way Neji did the first day of their meeting._

"_I'm really sorry for skipping out of my hospital duties, Sakura but here is the reason for my absence." Tsunade chuckled. "Apparently, someone wanted a drink but needed someone to look more of a drunkard than him!"_

"_Shut up." Hiashi said so Hyuuga-ishly, though Sakura sense that his speech was a little unlike what she's so used to in a Hyuuga. She took a quick glance at his face and found that his face was a little red. Then it struck her. The liquor!_

"_No use, Hiashi! Anyway, this, Hiashi, is my loyal apprentice! Haruno Sakura."_

_Sakura stood straight but looked no further than Hiashi's shoulders._

"_So…you're Tsunade's apprentice."_

"_Yes, sir."_

"_Don't call me 'sir'." Hiashi told her quite firmly that Sakura became nervous._

"_What should I call you then, Hyuuga-sama?" Sakura's face turned red_

_Hiashi placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder._

"_Uncle. Call me, uncle."

* * *

_

**Asylem29 Mail: **_What do you think is gonna happen next?_


	9. The Mist Arrives At Last

_This was no time to be happy for a kunoichi._

_Sakura walked down the long aisle, all eyes upon her_

_Some of the people standing around her had silent tears trailing down their cheeks and others were just quiet_

_Sakura tried to smile despite the situation but her smile seemed like a scowl_

_At the end, she could see the back of Neji's head and Naruto's trembling eyes_

_Looking down, Sakura sucked in what was happening_

_In her hands was one white rose. Her clothing was one black dress that reached past her knee_

_As she walked, she noticed a girl surrounded by nurses crying. Hasegawa Kiruno just can't help but cry in times like this._

_When she reached the end, Sakura took her place beside Neji and let every emotion leave her_

"_We are all gathered here today…" Naruto began "…to give honor to a noble shinobi who did all he could for Konoha. He was injured in a mission and at the Konoha Hospital announced Dead-On-Arrival. He was a brother who did nothing but care for his sister. He was a lover who loved from the bottom of his heart. He was born of Konoha's womb, who died in duty for her. Let us all have a moment of silent prayers to remember Hasegawa Noruki."_

_Sakura heard a loud sob that came from a girl who loved her brother so much and didn't even know who the woman her brother loved was._

_Sakura left her place and Neji' eyes followed her_

_Sakura laid the rose in her hands at the foot of the stone carved with the names of brave warriors._

_**You loved me by setting me free**_

**

* * *

**

"_Are you _that_ sad?" Neji asked once they were already walking home_

"_I am not 'that' sad. I am just sad." answered Sakura._

"_I hope you won't toss and turn in bed. I would really like to get some sleep"_

"_You should. Tomorrow's a special day. You can't be late. You can't be tired. You can't be sleepy. You must be prim and proper"_

"_Such requirements…and just from my wife!" Neji exclaimed_

"_Well, you are my one-week's worth of a husband as any Hyuuga could ever be!" Sakura said with a sad smile "and I still can't believe I'm married-and to you!"_

"_Get used to it, 'cause everyday you wake up, you're gonna have to see my face each morning." Neji smirked_

"_Never let your uncle get drunk again!"_

* * *

"_AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" a woman in pain shrieked in a room._

_A brown-haired shinobi, bloody and injured stopped dead in his tracks. He was walking in the hospital to the Treating Room. He wasn't badly injured from the mission that was just completed, but his teammates were._

_A sweatdrop rolled down the shinobi's face. He knew that voice._

_He ran to inside the room and his eyes widened at the scene. _

_His wife was pushing and pushing. Her sweaty face was wrinkled up in concentration and some of her pink hair was sticking to her sticky face and neck. _

"_AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!"_

"_I can see the head! Just one more, Sakura! One more!" Tsunade, the current midwife told Sakura._

"_AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!"_

"_Hyuuga-sama, please, your wound should be treated!" A nurse said pulling Neji away from the room. _

_Neji resisted and the nurse could not do anything to make the Hyuuga follow. Neji went over to where Sakura was. He held her hand and whispered, "Sakura, I'm here."_

"_Neji-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"_

"_WWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" A cry of a baby filled the room as Sakura relaxed her grip on Neji's hand._

"_Sakura! Congratulations! You're a mother of a healthy baby girl!" Tsunade said wrapping the baby in a towel once she disconnected the umbilical cord from the expectant mother. _

_As Tsunade handed the baby to Sakura, Neji's eyes watered in happiness while Sakura was already crying. Tsunade left the room for some family privacy._

"_Ten fingers, ten toes." Sakura mumbled. Sakura looked up to Neji. "Look, Neji, she's ours."_

_Neji beamed and suddenly kissed Sakura. He stopped and took the baby in his arms and swung the baby happily. "She's ours! She's ours!" and he laughed like he never did before in his life. Tears were rolling down his cheeks._

_The baby cried in panic…!_

"_Neji! Do be careful!" Sakura didn't really mean it. She just said it to make Neji stop hogging their girl. _

"_What are we going to call her?" Neji finally stopped swinging and the baby gradually stopped crying as if to listen for the name she was about to be bestowed with._

_Sakura smiled "Kiri!" _

_Neji smiled and kissed his daughter on the forehead as well as his wife. "I like it."_

"_You both have the _misty_ eyes, you know." Sakura said._

_Neji handed Kiri back to her mother. "I'm glad you're home, Neji." Sakura said "But you should have let yourself be treated…"_

"_Don't be silly, Sakura. These are nothing, compared to Kiri." Neji stood up straight and was glad that no one was there to see him lose sanity for a moment._

"_Behold your father, Kiri." Sakura smiled at her daughter._

_Neji bowed down to look at Kiri and Kiri blindly reached out a hand, and touched Neji's nose._

"_Hello, daughter" Neji smiled and stood up "Isn't it about time you _fed_ her Sakura?"_

**

* * *

**

* * *

"_Papa?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_Why are we here?" Kiri's eyes pored over the hundreds of people gathered. They were all noisy. She was sitting on her father's shoulders, and her hands were holding on tight on her father's hair. This wasn't what a leader of a powerful clan should act…he knew, he witnessed how Hiashi handled his daughter, but Sakura insisted that they shouldn't act so strict on Kiri._

**

* * *

**

"Why?" He asked "That's how she should be trained! Like a Hyuuga!"

Sakura put her hands on her waist and said, "Well, if you **must** know, I am not a Hyuuga. I am a Haruno…and we are naturally loving to our children!"

**

* * *

**

_And with that, he was stumped._

"_We are here because it's a special day. Don't you remember?" Neji said. _

"_Special?" Kiri looked up to the ceiling, distracted by the different colors floating around._

"_Well!" Naruto came over to where Neji and Kiri were. "If it isn't my favorite goddaughter!"_

_Kiri laughed as Naruto took her from her father's shoulder, which was a relief for Neji because he was getting tired._

"_Ah! I see you're being fed well!" Naruto said as he carried Kiri. _

"_Naruto-kun!" Hinata waved as she walked. "Kiri-chan!"_

"_Auntie!" Kiri waved as she recognized the woman with the same white eyes. _

"_Hinata." Neji said as a greeting._

"_Neji-oniisan" Hinata said with a smile._

_Hinata tickled Kiri and the pink-haired little girl laughed with her pigtails bobbing in the air._

"_She's almost here!" Yamanaka Ino cried out and closed the door of the room. She dimmed the lights and the other people quieted down._

_And Kiri's eyes widened. She reached out for what she knew was her father._

"_Papa?" She whispered_

"_hm?"_

"_It's Mama's birthday, isn't it?"_

_Before Neji could answer the door creaked and-_

"_SURPRISE!!!"_

**

* * *

**

* * *

"_Don't forget to listen to the teacher, and if somebody talks to you while in class, ignore them because you might get in trouble" Sakura lectured as she helped Kiri with her backpack_

"_Sakura"_

"_Never disobey the teacher because he might get mad at you" Sakura handed Kiri a paper bag. "Eat your lunch, okay sweetheart?"_

"_Yes, Mama."_

"_Sakura"_

"_Oh my gosh, you're gonna be late" Sakura panicked as she looked at her wristwatch "Maybe I should go with you, only for today"_

"_Sakura"_

"_Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh" Sakura said as she helped Kiri with her shoes. "Maybe I should take a day-off and wait till you finish school"_

"_Sakura, she'll be _fine_." Neji said pulling Sakura from Kiri and looked at her eye-to-eye. "We all did it, and look at us! This is something she's gonna have to get through alone"_

"_But it's her first day! And she's a girl! You don't know how other girls can be when no adults are around! Sure they're made of sugar, spice and everything nice and all that jazz but they're mean, manipulative and cruel and-" Sakura argued_

_Neji sighed and pulled away from Sakura and bent down to talk to Kiri. "Have a happy first day. Show them what you can really do, Princess" Neji said with a twinkle in his eye which Kiri's eye mirrored._

"_Bye Papa!" Kiri kissed Neji "Bye Mama!" And then Sakura and disappeared in a flash behind the door, her pigtails flying behind her._

* * *

"_And how was your first day?" Sakura asked as she separated her chopsticks. They were at the Ichiraku stand eating ramen._

"_It was okay" Kiri smiled…sadly_

"_That isn't much of a smile, little girl." Ayame said from behind the counter. "Can I get you anything else, Sakura-chan?"_

"_No thanks. It's okay." Sakura smiled and Ayame left their side of the stand "What's wrong, baby? Did something bad happen at school?"_

"_Nothing…" Kiri avoided her mother's eyes but Sakura held her by the chin and faced Kiri to her._

"_I know what you're going through and I got through that as well. C'mon you can tell me." Sakura combed a hand through the pink hair of her daughter._

"_They teased me because they said I had freaky eyes." Kiri blushed, ashamed, but still, when she said the pronoun 'they', her voice never sounded so hateful._

"_Who teased you, baby?"_

"_The other girls did."_

"_Well don't you mind the other girls. They're stupid and mean and you wouldn't want to be like them. They only tease you because they're insecure about themselves, they're jealous and also because they haven't anything exciting about their own lives." Sakura almost broke her chopsticks._

"_Really?"_

"_Really." Sakura said looking into the misty eyes of her daughter._

_Kiri hugged Sakura and Sakura embraced her back. When they let go of each other, Sakura asked "So, enough about the bad stuff. Anything else happened?"_

"_I was the only one to hit the bull's-eye with my kunai on the first try!"_

"_Wow! That's amazing!" Sakura exclaimed, really amazed. "We'll tell your father once we get home!"_

**

* * *

"_Papa! Papa!" Kiri ran through the halls._**" 

_Neji jumped in alarm. "Kiri!" He opened the shoji screen from where he was reading and he knelt down immediately after seeing his daughter speed up to where he was._

_Kiri reached her father and embraced him tightly, which Neji did too. "Ooohh! I'm glad you're home, Princess." _

"_I missed you soooo much, Papa!" Kiri let go of Neji but Neji still held her close, but far enough so that they could look into each other's eyes. "You know what, Papa?"_

"_What?"_

"_I hit the target in school with my kunai on my first try! I was the only one who was able to do it on the first day!" Kiri said in excitement._

"_Really? That's great!" Neji cried hugging Kiri again. Neji looked up and his eyes locked with Sakura's teary eyes. She was leaning on the wall and she was red in the face and without saying it aloud, she mouthed to Neji, _

"_I love you."_

_Neji smiled and sent a 'flying kiss'_

"_Papa?"_

_Neji ignored his daughter and hugged her tighter and Kiri laughed in delight._

**

* * *

**

* * *

"Papa?"

"hm?" Neji looked up from what he was reading and locked eyes, this time, with his 13-year-old daughter.

"Can I train with you tonight?" Kiri asked, eyes, hopeful.

Neji smiled inwardly "Wait for me outside"

Kiri beamed "Thank you, Papa!"

**

* * *

**

**A/N:** Okay, okay…Don't throw things at me yet.

I know Neji is a lot OOC in this chapter and he might be in later chapters. I said don't throw YET!

But I want to experiment with this character and I would really like to imagine Neji being like this since it would be a million years before he starts acting like that. (refer to top).

I promise to still keep that Neji-essence, but I think that this made-up playful character of his is for this chapter only. What I really plan is that he would be different since Kiri is now grown-up. Teenage girls…pfft.

If any of you noticed, my style has now changed…somehow. Thanks for the reviews and please review! Even if it stinks!

Thank You Very Much!

Love,

_**Writer**_

**P.S.** Back to basics. "**_A/N:_**" is here to stay.

Anyway, you can start throwing. (grin)


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